Improvement in plaiting-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo .r E. MCK'ENNEY, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAYD.'

IMPROVM ENT IN PLAlTlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent l\'o 411,441, datedFebruary 2, 1864.

ing drawings, making part oi' this specification, in whichy Figure l isa side elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a plan or top viewthereof.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation ofthe same; and Fig.

et is a vertical longitudinal section taken in the line a: a', Fig. 3. YY

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalviews.

'The subject of this invention is a machine whereby continuous plaits ortucks of any desir-ed number and width may be produced in linen 'orother material 'for shirtbosoms, skirts, or any other purpose for whichthey are required; and the invention consists in the combination ot' apair of feed-rollers with a series ot' folding and guiding plates ofpeculiar construction, said rollers being either hollow or solid, anddesigned to be used either hot or cold, with surfaces either plain,grooved, or embossed, all as will behereinafter described.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertainsmay be en-v abled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceedto describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A is a frame supporting a bed or table, B,and two parallel rollers, C C', which rollers are adapted to revolve oneabove the other. The roller C is journaled in suitable bearings in thelower part of the frame A, and the roller O is pressed down thereupon bybox-straps D D which are held in positonby set-screws D' D', and allowedto yield in an upward direction to permit the passage of goods betweenthem by spiral springs d d, which encircle said screws, and are securedat their respective ends to the box-straps D and heads ot' the screwsD'.

d' cl. represent lubricatingapertures. rlhe rollers are so arranged thattheir surfaces are brought in close contact with each G' a bent- )latesecured thereon in ansuitable manner. The plate Gr may be secured to thetable B by screws g g, and the inner edge thereof occupies a positionbetween the plates H H', which are attached to a scroll-guide, L, thelatter being secured upon a plate, J. which may be fastened to the tableB by screws g g2. The edge ot' the plate H is situated beneath' theplate G, and all the plates are designed to occupy horizontal positionsat different levels, as shown in Fig. 3. The scroll-guide is employed toturn the edge of the material, and is adapted for use, in connectionwith an internal guide, I', for the laying ofcords within the plait.roller G to accommodate the cord and retain the same in proper positionas it passes between tlie rollers.

K represents the linen or other material to be plaited.

Operation: Thematerial may be dampedV with either steam or water, itneedful, and is introduced between the several plates and within theguide I in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The temporary removal of one ofthe plates Gr or J will greatly facilitate the introduction of the linenor other material between the plates, and the screws D Dl may bepartially withdrawn to more readily permit the insertion ofthe end ot'the piece-to be plaited between the rollers G C. The rotation of the.rollers by the crank F or other suitable means will then serre to drawthe material through between the plates and press into permanent shapethe folds, plaits, or tucks formed thereby. Continuous plates maybe thusproduced from end to end ot' pieces of material of any length, and theplaited goods may be separated into any required length for shirt-bosomsor other purposes.

By varying the number and positions of the plates the width and numberof the plaits or folds may be varied as required.

Pivoted disks may, it1 preferred, be employed instead ot' the plates toproduce the folds.

The machine maybe made ofsufcient width c c represent grooves formedinthe to produce au entire shirt-bosom at one opera G G H H, scrolLguideI, and feeding and presstion,and,if desired,theroilersean beembossed ingrollers C C, adapted to operate substan to represent; stitching.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-.

A machine constructed with folding-plates i tially as herein described.

` J. F. MOKENNEY.

Witnesses W. MERRELL, GEO. A. PETERS.

